Eastern College of Music? University for Professional Studies? What do we know?

A musician friend has received an unsolicited offer to be on the faculty of the Eastern College of Music of Greensboro, North Carolina. Their web site (www.easternconservatory-music.org) says they are accredited by the International 'accrediting and Recognition Council of Nerang, Australia, and that their degrees are awarded by the University for Professional Studies of West Arcadia, California (which is not California approved, and which has a phone in Montana).

I don't find anything recommendable here, and wonder if anyone has knowledge or opinions.

There was some interaction with its president, Terry Poteat, on a.e.d. 2 or 3 years ago, but I can only find a couple of references to him asking whether to do his degree at Hawthorne or American Coastline. (He now seems to have a doctorate).

Thanks.

 

This Eastern Conservatory thread may be relevant.

 

According to the faculty page on the Eastern College website, Poteat has a D.M.A. from American University (London). Another prof, John Fullard, has an Hon.D.M. from Pickering University in addition to an A.A.

It seems a bit odd that a U.S. school would tout "accreditation" from an Australian entity. Most of the accredited members of the International Accreditation and Recognition Council are Australian, with a scattering of members from India, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, England, U.S. The IARC Directory of Members includes Southern Pacific University, The Academy of Contemporary Research (incorporating Laureate University), Timothy Bible College, Warnborough University. Not great company.

 

Eastern College of Music

John Bear's friend, John Aramal, is the president of the US School of Commerical Music. He was not offered a teaching post here at our school. The hiring of faculty is a duty assigned to the Board of Directors and carried out by a search committee. There was however some very informal discussion about an affiliation with his school to offer a major in commercial music. Nothing concrete just discussion.

The Univeristy For Professional Studies only awards the Bachelor and Master of Music programs, not all of our program offerings. They are NOT a California school, as they have their degree granting authority from Montana.

We are accredited by IARC initially for international puposes. It is one of our instituitional plans however to become accredited by NASM, our professional US accreditor. This is one goal of many in that regard that also includes becoming fully state licensed and independent (thus dropping the UFPS affiliation) and embarking on establishing a complete residential program in church music.

Hope this information is informative and clears up a few things.


Jacques Taylor
Assistant Director of Public Affairs

 

Re: Eastern College of Music

You're accredited by a bogus accreditor, your degrees are issued through a mill, and you PLAN to become accredited by a USDOE-recognized accreditor. Yep, that clears up a few things.

A suggestion from an unchurched and musically-illiterate heathen: How about offering legitimate instruction, THEN obtaining degree-granting authority from YOUR state, THEN obtaining recognized accreditation? Granted, this might dampen the profit potential for your faculty of self-doctored Doctors, but it'd also dampen the ridicule you're certain to otherwise receive.

 

Location of Eastern Conservatory of Music

Since I live only 20 minutes from Greensboro, John's thread sparked an interest. A quick commute to the physical location of ECM on Monday, Dec. 30, revealed the following:

1. ECM is located in a large, three-story, old-but-renovated building at 620 South Elm Street in Greensboro.

2. Each room of the building appeared to be approximately 20' X 20', with a different business renting/leasing each room.

3. A perusal of some of the tenants revealed various types of small business operations, office space for larger business owners, etc., etc., etc..........

4. On the third floor, room 374, I found the physical location of ECM. A small 12" X 12" professionally designed name plate was positioned just left of the single entrance to the conservatory, which read Eastern Conservatory of Music.

5. No one was in the office at 2:15 PM.

 

Cool thread - many happy memories of that one.

I find it amusing that "Jacques Taylor" managed to show up here on the same day as this new thread appeared. When Mr. or Ms. "Eastern Conservatory" (then in the form of one Peter Osterling) responded to the earlier thread, it was because I had sent a note to Terry Poteat inviting him to participate on the forum and respond to questions about his "school."

Definitely a fun bunch of folks. But can they play the piano?

 

Steve, if per chance they are CofC they don't need to play the piano. Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

I won't even attempt to top that one.

But if they can't learn the piano, at least there's Faulkner University.
__________________________

P.S. Incidental note: One of my Union adjuncts is a Faulkner professor. But he's managed to keep his wits and, to my knowledge, hasn't joined the CofC.

 

Steve,
I picked up the AA at Faulkner while teaching there. Interesting enough they tried to convert me during my five year tenure. Being a Cumberland Presbyterian, I was not interested in the more fundamental approach to theology nor the dipping method of baptizing. Imagine my surprise (not sure why) when I looked at the schedule for the upcoming quarter and couldn't find my name by any of the classes. When I approached the director, he said, in essence that a cleansing had been ordered. I was one of about 7 adjunct faculty that were terminated. How's that for Agape? So, tell your friend to keep his resume updated!!!!!

 

Browsing through their website, I get the feeling they are trying to do it right. There are some questionable facets for sure, but I really don't think they are selling degrees as might be assumed from their claim of accreditation and dubious connections.

I will reserve judgement for a couple years, but don't hold your breath waiting for me to enroll.

Tony

BTW, they answered some of the earlier faculty questions (ie. the listing of where various degrees were earned) and with a couple of exceptions, the qualifications don't look that bad for an unaccredited school.